Housing Solutions Washington - Senate Republican Caucus

A flexible, comprehensive plan designed to empower home builders, developers and local communities.

17th Legislative District. Orchards, WA.

We’re facing an urgent housing affordability crisis, and Housing Solutions Washington is our roadmap to fix it. The 18 bills in the package are about overcoming the biggest barriers to increasing our housing supply.

Sen. Keith Goehner

Ranking Republican, Senate Housing Committee

Backround

Washington continues to suffer from a critical lack of affordable housing and regulations that stand in the way of meeting the need.

According to the Department of Commerce, Washington state needs 1 million new homes by 2044 and there is a gap of 144,000 homes. Governments must empower the private sector to meet this shortage.

Already, the housing shortage has caused Washington to have the highest home price increase in THE NATION over the last 40 years: 828%.

The Building Industry Association of Washington estimated that in 2021/2022, regulation added $127,968 to the cost of a $595,732 home.

That is 21.5% of the entire cost of a 2021/2022 home attributable to regulation costs.

DENSITY

Address local zoning laws and other restrictions that limit the ability to build more housing in urban areas.
Allow more affordable and diverse housing options to be built, from multifamily units to mixed-use developments.
Give local governments and the building community the flexibility to build more homes.

Density Bills

Detached ADU outside the UGA. Gives explicit authority to counties to allow detached accessory dwelling units (ADUs) outside the urban growth area to help provide housing for rural people to age in place and for caregivers. It will also help provide housing stability to rural areas.

CLICK/TAP to READ the BILL

Middle housing in unincorporated UGA. Would loosen restrictions on middle housing outside of incorporated areas within the UGA

CLICK/TAP to READ the BILL

Expanding the property-tax exemption for ADUs. Would expand statewide a program currently offered in King County that offers a tax exemption for ADUs.

CLICK/TAP to READ the BILL

Eliminating each local government’s proportional share of Washington’s housing shortage. Would require cities and counties to examine their permitting processes and report back to the Department of Commerce about the number of building permit applications received and approved, as well as how that helps alleviate the housing shortage.

CLICK/TAP to READ the BILL

Extending services outside the UGA. Gives explicit authority for counties to expand public facilities and services for housing in particular circumstances.

CLICK/TAP to READ the BILL

Expanding eligibility to use the multifamily tax exemption program. Accompanies SB 5471 and would expand the multifamily tax exemption for middle housing in unincorporated areas.

CLICK/TAP to READ the BILL

Encouraging construction of affordable housing by streamlining the permitting process. Would allow for engineered plans to receive a stamp that would allow them to bypass a complete project review.

CLICK/TAP to READ the BILL

Creating greater accountability for increasing the supply of housing. Would use the goals of the Growth Management Act to encourage planning for housing and the tracking of progress toward housing goals.

CLICK/TAP to READ the BILL

Allowing counties to update their comprehensive plans to accommodate zoning at any time. Typically, comprehensive plans can only be updated narrowly every year or more broadly every 10 years. This bill would allow counties to be more rapidly responsive to zoning changes to accommodate housing needs.

CLICK/TAP to READ the BILL

Building code. Would allow builders to build under a variety of former codes to make it easier and cheaper to build new houses.

CLICK/TAP to READ the BILL

Impact fee reform. Would allow local jurisdictions to recuperate their costs with a local sales tax in exchange for reducing or eliminating impact fees.

CLICK/TAP to READ the BILL

Housing opportunity zones. Would create space for rezoning and rehabilitating vacant and underused commercial space for housing.

CLICK/TAP to READ the BILL

Video

Expanding Housing Options in Washington: New Bills for Higher Density

Housing Provider and Tenant Protections

HOUSING PROVIDER AND TENANT PROTECTIONS

Innovative alternatives that encourage affordability without stifling investment.
Focus on incentivizing property owners to provide long-term affordable housing through tax credits, subsidies for sustainable building practices, and the creation of new financing models
Keep housing accessible for all income levels.

Housing Provider and Tenant Protections Bills

Statewide preemption. Would ensure that landlord-tenant relations are consistent statewide.

CLICK/TAP to READ the BILL

RLTA taskforce. Would create a taskforce to work through the Residential Landlord Tenant Act to find ways to make it more effective and beneficial for housing providers and tenants.

CLICK/TAP to READ the BILL

Tenant assistance. Would create a tenant assistance program to provide rental assistance to lower-income households in the form of grants for public housing.

CLICK/TAP to READ the BILL

Eviction reform. Would clarify requirements of the RLTA to make the eviction process cheaper and simpler for housing providers.

CLICK/TAP to READ the BILL

Why no rent control?

Republicans do not support rent control because it tends to create more problems than it solves. It discourages developers from building new rental units and it motivates landlords to convert rental units into condominiums or other types of housing that is not subject to rent control. Over time, areas with rent control policies end up with fewer available rental properties.

Video

The Truth About Rent Control in Washington: A Housing Crisis Warning

CREATIVE SOLUTIONS

Advocate for the adoption of kit homes – prefabricated homes that are quicker and cheaper to build.
Kit homes can help lower housing prices and provide affordable, durable housing options in both rural and urban communities.
Streamline regulatory processes for kit home construction and encourage their use as a viable solution for first-time homebuyers and families seeking affordable housing.